Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

The Very Best Shoes for Early Walkers: pediped (Giveaway!!!)

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Paying a premium price just to have a name brand is totally not my style. And paying for quality isn’t even always my style, especially if we are talking about something that is trendy or that will be worn out very quickly.

But when it comes to shoes for my kids, that is an exception. The name brand still isn’t important, per se, but the QUALITY of the shoe is absolutely critical. Little feet are growing feet, and they need really good support. This is especially true for the early walking stages.

And that’s why my little girls exclusively wear pediped shoes as their first shoes.

You can see Darah’s first pair of toddler shoes on this post.

And you can see the shoes that Darah wore and wore and wore and wore all this year at school here (they were perfect since they had velcro…she could take them on and off herself!).

And now I’d like to show you Layah’s first pair of shoes:

pedi ped shoes for early walkers

Our little walker is CONSTANTLY pulling off her socks and we don’t even dare to try shoes. But on Easter morning, I put these on her feet and she happily kept them on for 3 full hours before even attempting to take them off. That is a dream come true, I tell ya!

pedi ped shoes for infant girls

I used the fantastic baby shoe size guide for pediped to select the shoes. I’m so glad I used it, because my assumption would have been to get the size M (12-18 month) shoes for her since she’s almost 11 months old. But it turns out, the size  S (6-12 month) shoes would fit her with some room to grow!

Layah is modeling the Daphne shoe from the Originals line. If you aren’t familiar with this line, here’s some additional information about what makes it such an excellent choice for standing and walking babies:

“Perfect for beginning walkers, all pediped® Originals feature leather soles for ultimate flexibility and lasting quality. Our updated Originals® soles feature a diamond leather tread that is more slip resistant yet still crafted completely of high-quality, non-toxic leather that allows little toes to move, grip, and feel the floor.”

pedi ped shoes for young walkers

I have been singing the praises of pediped shoes for a few years now, and I continue to believe without a doubt that they are worth much more than their cost (the Daphne shoes are $37, but there are other models in the line that are less expensive). They are the best foundation for little walkers! They also happen to be having a spring pediped sale right now! Go check it out!

And if you have ever thought yourself, “I wish I could have some shoes as thoughtfully and beautifully made as these!” then yo uare in luck! Check out Brian James Footwear, the new women’s footwear line from the founder of pediped. Woo hoo!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the sponsor’s choice of shoe model in the Originals line, and you get to choose if you want a boy or girl style!

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a complimentary pair of shoes for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Intentional Shoe Design = GREAT Shoe Design! Tsukihoshi Shoes (GIVEAWAY!)

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When a company has been around since 1873, they are clearly doing something right.

lavender and lime style 28 Tsukihoshi shoes

Such is the case for a children’s shoe company that hails from Japan, called Tsukihoshi (in Japanese it means Moon and Star). This company has seriously impressed me with its thoughtful design. Shoes by Tsukihoshi have several fantastic features:

  • Solid half sock board and solid heel counter provide stability in the heel area, which is especially important for children, as they have a tendency to over-pronate (land on the arch side) when walking.
  • Molded Cup Insole that is designed for children’s arches, which have not yet fully formed and need special care.
  • Flex-Joint Outsole that helps children’s feet to bend along the line from the joint of the big to to that of the little toe. This is a great feature because children’s feet, being not yet fully developed, are not able to bend and kick forward very well.
  • Space in the toe area to keep the child’s toe in an unrestricted position, which helps control the common problem of excessive inward tilting toward the arches when walking or running.
  • The Cup-Insole is coated with Green-Tea Polyphenol which deodorizes the smell in shoes.
  • Tsukihoshi shoes are machine washable and can be air dried.

lavender and lime velcro sneakers from Tsukihoshi

Darah is LOVING her style 28 child’s shoes (also called Wheel). I love the fun color combination, and I am very excited to see how easily she can get these on and off all by herself. That saves me some hassle and makes her feel more independent! I’ve asked her if her shoes feel comfortable to her feet, and she has given me a good report. I haven’t seen any blisters, either, as sometimes those appear when we get a new pair of shoes. Not this time!

When I used the store locator on the Tsukihoshi website to find my nearest retailer, I was excited to see that a local shoe store just 8 minutes from my home carries the brand. I’m already planning a trip to go look at more styles! Where is your nearest Tsukihoshi retailer?

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a pair of Tsukihoshi shoes! Winner gets their choice of style from the Spring ’13 line!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Parenting Tip: Get One Truly Great Pair of Shoes for Each Size

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We all know that buying shoes for kids can be a frustrating experience. They grow out of them so quickly that it can seem quite ridiculous to spend much on them. I totally understand that sentiment, and I have definitely opted for “as cheap as possible” shoes for Darah before. What’s the point in spending $40 on shoes that will be too small in 6 months?

Well, I also happen to know, deep down, that there is something to be said for getting the highest quality shoes possible for those little growing feet. After all, I had the child who refused to wear shoes until she absolutely had to, and even then, she would only wear one brand because that was the brand that felt good on her feet. You see, toddlers don’t buy the “fashion hurts” philosophy that so many grownups yield to in life. If it doesn’t feel good, they don’t want to wear it, plain and simple. A $7 pair of shoes is a waste of $7 if your child doesn’t want to wear the shoes. I’ve had several “bargain” pairs of shoes that Darah wore less than 5 times, and not because her feet grew that fast. And consistently throughout her growth, she has been interested in the shoes that offered more support to her feet. She doesn’t know the name brands, and even if she did, she doesn’t yet care about labels. She simply wants to wear what feels good.

Without fail, Pediped shoes ALWAYS feel good to her. That’s why pediped is the one quality shoe that I am willing to spend a bit more money on for Darah. I know that they are put together well enough that Layah will also be able to wear them, which doubles the lifetime usage we’ll see out of them. Most of Darah’s cheaper shoes haven’t made the cut to be passed on.

I aim to have a pair of pedipeds for Darah to wear for every size, if I can. Check out my video review of Darah’s brand new shoes from the Flex line of pediped shoes. These are PERFECT for preschoolers with lots of energy to run and play!

Additionally, pediped has just launched a line of cold weather boots. At Darah’s school, having time outside to play is valued very strongly, to the point where if it isn’t raining or snowing, the kids WILL have outside time. Even if it is REALLY REALLY cold! So dressing appropriately is a must. These pediped boots are designed to keep toes nice and toasty in really cold conditions.

Pediped also has a new athletic line available. They are very smartly designed, including being machine washable. Check out what Major League Baseball player Tom Glavine has to say about them by clicking here!

You’ll find over 80 new styles of pediped shoes to fit every child and most every occasion, all without sacrificing quality and a great fit. You can stay in the loop about new styles, great sales, and special promotions by becoming a pediped Insider! Visit the pediped website and enter your email address. It’s that easy!

I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Shoes for the Shoe Hating Baby!

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Ladies and gentlemen, Darah is FINALLY walking! She started a few weeks ago and hasn’t looked back! She still crawls around a bit here and there, but she’s getting better every day at walking. She is SO PROUD of herself, too, which just adds to the cuteness of the whole thing.

You may recall that Darah hates shoes. HATES them. I went at least 6 months without even attempting to put them on her, because I knew it was an exercise in futility. This is been a source of concern for me, because I know that she needs to wear some shoes to protect her feet as she starts walking everywhere. I’ve been hunting around for a quality shoe that Darah might actually wear for more than 45 seconds. I discovered pediped, a brand whose tag line is, “the next best thing to bare feet.” I thought that this had to be my best shot at getting her to wear shoes. And if they didn’t work, I’d just be thankful that we’d be saving thousands of dollars over the next 18 years since she wouldn’t need any shoes. 🙂

You guys, what I’m about to tell you is so unbelievable that I have been struggling to put it into words. But I’m just gonna report back to you the facts, which are as follows:

1. Darah wears these shoes. At first she wore them for an hour (which was completely unheard of). Now she wears them for 5 or 6 hours.

2. Darah still won’t wear ANY other pair of shoes that she owns.

3. She brings the shoes to me and asks to wear them. This is after she attempts to put them on herself.

I can hardly believe it myself. Is this shoe magic? What is the secret?! It turns out that pediped Originals line closely mimics barefoot walking. From their site, “When children learn to walk they tend to shuffle, so rubber soles or shoes with grip force children to change their natural stride and can actually make them trip. Originals have a durable, slip-resistant leather sole. They’re roomy so the foot can move and grip and they’re flexible so your child can actually feel the floor. The hand-stitched leather sole allows your child’s foot to breathe.”

I’ll tell you one thing: Darah is going to be getting pediped shoes from now on. They are definitely more expensive than the cute shoes I find on clearance at Target, but clearly a closet full of cute but cheap shoes that go unworn is a waste of money, and I’d rather put her in 1-2 pairs at each stage that she loves and that are good for her growing feet!

I also wanted to let you know that pediped has a great contest going on right now, and you should definitely enter! In celebration of the latest Tinker Bell movie, pediped is giving away a trip for 4 to London! Go to the pediped website and fill out the simple form, and you’ve got a chance to win!

Buy it!: pediped offers amazing shoe options for the pre-walker, early walker, toddler and full-on runner in your house! I am one thrifty mama but I’m telling you, these are worth every penny they cost. Check them out; you won’t be disappointed! I’m thinking about snagging the Annie shoes that are on sale! edit: I DID snag them! 🙂

Disclosure: I received a complimentary pair of shoes in exchange for my post. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Handmade Baby Shoes for Pre-Walkers or New Walkers

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Recently I wrote about discovering a very cool mom named Brandi who operates a delicious little etsy store called Pannaz. I reviewed her washable nursing pads and found them to be effective, beautiful, eco-friendly and VERY kind to your wallet ($2/pair!).

baby wearing handmade baby shoes from Pannaz Today I am bringing you another review from her shop. Brandi sent me a pair of handmade baby shoes for Darah to wear. We have been loving them. Darah is exceptionally skilled at getting anything that is on her feet OFF! She hasn’t taken these shoes off once, which absolutely blows my mind. I think there are a few reasons for this: 1. They are constructed very well so that they are easy to get on and off, but only if you have better hand coordination than an infant, and 2. They are comfortable, so Darah doesn’t seem to mind that they are on her feet. We have the size 6-12 month shoes, and while there is room to grow, they aren’t slipping off Darah because they are more secure around the ankles. I think this is an excellent design feature. I also love that they can just get tossed in the wash when they get dirty (and since Darah likes to chew on her toes, you can imagine how these have been soiled quite a few times!).

I also want to point out that these handmade baby shoes, which Brandi will custom-make for you, are extremely reasonably priced at $7.00 for 0-6 month shoes and $8.00 for larger sizes (which have non-skid bottoms). Brandi will work with you to get the type of fabric that you like (what she has on her site are just a few examples) and the right size. While most of her shoes on Etsy are shown in 0-6 months, she also makes 6-12, 12-18 and 18-24 months!

If you need some cute handmade soft-soled shoes for your baby or for a gift, you could buy a pair of Robeez….or you could buy an entire collection of handmade Pannaz shoes!!! Convo Brandi to get started creating the perfect shoes for the little one in your life.

Edit: This giveaway is now closed.

Win it!: Right now is your chance to snag a custom pair of Pannaz shoes! The winner will be able to work with Brandi to select the fabric and size.The contest will run until Thursday, April 22nd at 7:59pm CST. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed, and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Open to residents of the United States.

How To Enter:

Mandatory Entry: Tell me your favorite item in the Pannaz shop.

Additional Entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS or email (only 1 extra entry total, even if you subscribe both ways)

2. Follow me through Google connect

3. Put my button on your blog and leave a url where I can find it

4. Become a fan of Pannaz on Facebook

5. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)

6. Add Pannaz to your favorites list on Etsy

7. Give Brandi a suggestion for an item you would like to see her sell.

8. Enter any other currently open giveaway on my site (one extra entry per giveaway that you enter)